3. Development of the World’s Network Information Technology

Abstract

Today, network information technology is developing fast, having been integrated into every area of economy, society and life. It produces great impact on the global economy, interests and security. The world’s economy is more and more focused on the industry of network information technology, which has become a general tool integrated into all economic and social areas. The comprehensive competition between countries is becoming technical competition with the innovation of network information technology as the core. Major countries are promoting original and integrated innovation as well as popularized application, taking the development of network information technology as the foundation for transforming economic development and discovering new advantages for competition. To sum up, the present network information technology development is manifested in the trends as follows: (1) The iterative evolution of network information technology is being accelerated. In recent years, the innovative development and iterative evolution of all kinds of network information technology are being accelerated, including networks, software, IC, computing, storage and sensing. ICT has also witnessed accelerated development and optical communication technology is evolving toward super-speed and super-capacity technology, with its transmission capacity exceeding 560 Tbps. R&D and standardization of 5G network is progressing fast and it will be put into commercial use soon. Software technology tends to develop in the direction of mobile, networking and cloud technology. Cloud service software is becoming the direction of the development of all kinds of software. Massive production has begun for the 7 nm techniques of IC technology and great breakthroughs will be made. Especially, new materials, structures and techniques of IC technology will break the physical limits of Moore’s Law. (2) Integrated innovation and AI technology are thriving. Network, hardware and software technologies are being integrated with each other fast, which has promoted the rapid maturity of mobile smart terminal technology. Smartphones, pads and wearable devices keep emerging. In 2016, the shipments of smartphones in the world reached over 1.47 billion. Storage, computing and analysis are shifting from the edge of networks to the center. The capacity of large-scale storage, computing and data analysis keeps improving. AI technologies such as speech and natural language processing, computer vision and smart chip are becoming more mature and have been put into commercial use. AlphaGo has stirred a new wave of AI development. (3) Cross-border innovation and integrated development are being sped up. Network information technology is being applied in areas like biology, material, energy and equipment industries and thus it pushes them to develop in the direction of digitalization, networking and intelligence. The integration between network information technology and biological technologies promotes the in-depth and segmented development of biological technologies such as gene sequencing, brain science and organ repair. Network information technology is changing the model of R&D, design, manufacturing and application service of material, and it is reshaping the industry of energy and boosting digitalized, networked and intelligent production, transportation, transaction and utilization of energy. (4) IT is being used in all areas of economy and society. Network information technology is an important drive for the industrial innovation and development. It has boosted the comprehensive innovation of the model of corporate structure, service and business. New corporate structure model embracing networks, platforms and crowdsourcing stimulates the wisdom and potential of people. Service innovations including mobile service, targeted marketing, nearby supply, personalized customization and online and offline integration are stimulating and creating new consumption demands. Corporate development models including customization, everyone’s involvement, experience in manufacturing, production and marketing integration, self-organizing collaboration and adaptive management are being formed rapidly. (5) Network information technology has become the strategic commanding point for all countries to create scientific and technical advantages. To reshape the national competitive strength, major countries take network information technology as the priority in their development strategies, trying to solve problems in development, cultivate new driving forces and speed up transformation to smart society through innovation and popularization of network information technology. Emerging developing countries and industrialized countries initiatively adjust their strategies for the development of network information technology, and less developed countries are speeding up the creation of new advantages for scientific and technical competition to conform to the development so that they will not fall behind but catch up with the new opportunities in the new-round international development.